In the recent spate of acts of terrorism in parts of Pakistan the judiciary was also targeted when a suicide bomber rammed his motorbike into an official vehicle carrying judges of the subordinate judiciary on Feb 15. The occurrence resulted into the death of the official driver, Khursheed Khan, and injuries to four of the five civil judges boarding the vehicle.

The incident exposed the vulnerability of judicial officers and others attached with the legal profession, including lawyers. As the proscribed TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, another militant outfit Jamaatul Ahrar has claimed in a recent video footage that the judiciary and its attached institutions are on their hit list.

In the wake of the recent incidents security arrangements have been beefed up at the Peshawar High Court, Judicial Complex and Peshawar registry of the Supreme Court as well as courts in other cities. Not only Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi visited the Judicial Complex, which in past was twice targeted by terrorists, to examine the security arrangements, the high-ups of police also looked into the security arrangements in those buildings.

Ever since the acts of terrorism by militant outfits started in the country over a decade ago, the militants continued to target judiciary-related institutions from time to time. Several incidents took place in the country, including in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, when militants attacked different courts and lawyers.